Bicycle canteen

ABSTRACT

A bicycle canteen having a unitary rigid structure is provided with a universal clamping means for securing the canteen to either singular or dual membered main crossbars of a bicycle. The canteen is secured along the main crossbar of a bicycle between the forward end of the seat and the handlebar fork member. A combination inlet cap and cup is provided to seal the canteen making it liquid-proof after the canteen is filled and provide a cup to act as a receptacle when the liquid is removed from the canteen. The canteen takes the general shape of fuel tanks such as found on motorcycles and is basically speed-form or aerodynamically shaped.

United States Patent Purcell, Jr. et al.

BICYCLE CANTEEN lnventors: Jack A. Purcell, Jr., Taylor; Jerome A.Leonard, Walled Lake; John S. Juratovlc, Detroit, all of Mich.

Assignee: Bort, Inc., Hazel Park, Mich.

Filed: Jan. 25, 1971 Appl. No.1 109,498

kelerences Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Murrell 248/214 PrimaryExaminer-Herbert F. Ross Assistant Examiner-Stephen MarcusAttorney-Russel C. Wells [5 7] ABSTRACT A bicycle canteen having aunitary rigid structure is provided with a universal clamping means forsecuring the canteen to either singular or dual membered main crossbarsof a bicycle. The canteen is secured along the main crossbar of abicycle between the forward end of the seat and the handlebar forkmember. A combination inlet a an 121 P ov de 99 .9! e 9 19 making itliquid-proof after the canteen is filled and provide a cup to act as areceptacle when the liquid is removed from the canteen. The canteentakes the general shape of fuel tanks such as found on motorcycles andis basically speed-form or acre-dynamically shaped.

5 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures PATENIEBJUNZS ma 3.741.429

SEEK 1 BF 2 FIG.I

INVENTORS JACK A. PURCELL, JR.

BY JEROME A. LEONARD JOHN s. JURATOVIC ATTORNEY PATENTEDJUNZG 197ssumznrz INV JACK A. PURCE ATTORNEY BICYCLE CANTEEN BRIEF DESCRIPTION OFPRIOR ART This disclosure relates in general to tanks for containingliquids and in particular to acanteen for mounting on a bicycle or othersimilar vehicle. When a cyclist desires to carry liquids for refreshmentwhile traveling on his bicycle, he is forced to carry either a canteenstrapped about his waist, carried around his neck, or strap containerssuch as those used by racers to the handlebars.

It is a principal object of this invention to provide a bicycle canteenwhich is fixedly mounted to the frame of the bicycle.

It is another object of this invention to provide an integral cap andcup member for use with a bicycle mounted canteen. 1

It is a further object of this invention to provide a universal clampingmeans adaptable to mount the canteen to the frame of the bicycleregardless of the construction of the bicycle frame. I

In accordance with these and other objects which will become apparent,there is described and claimed herein a canteen for mounting on thecrossbar of a bicycle. The canteen comprises a hollow enclosed bodymember adapted to contain a volume of liquid. Inlet means is provided inone surface of said body member for receiving the liquid to be containedtherein. A removably insertable cap means is engagable with said inletmeans forming a leak proof seal therewith to retain the liquid withinsaid body member. An outlet means is positioned along the surface of thebody member for controllably removing an amount of liquid therefrom.Clamping'means positioned on a surface of said body member opposite thesurface having the inlet means is cooperable with the crossbar of thebicycle for securing said body member rigidly to the crossbar of thebicycle.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevation view of a bicycle with thecanteen mounted on the crossbar thereof;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the canteen;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the canteen;

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the canteen;

FIG. Sis a plan view of the preferred embodiment of the clamp for thecanteen;

FIG. 6 is a partial view illustrating the clamp of FIG. secured to asingle crossbar;

FIG. 7 is a partial view illustrating the clamp of FIG. 5 secured to adual crossbar;

FIG. 8 is a partial section view taken along line 88 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 2 showing thecontoured knee pads of the canteen;

FIG. 10 is a bottom view of a canteen illustrating a modification of theclamps;

FIG. 1 l is an end view of the modification of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is another modification of the clamp of FIG. 5 secured toasingle crossbar; and

FIG. 13 is the modification of FIG. 12 secured to a dual crossbar.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to the figures by the characters ofreference, there is illustrated in FIG. 1 a bicycle having a seat orsaddle 22 position substantially above or over the rear wheel 24 and thehandlebar 26 operatively connected through a fork member 28 to the frontwheel 30. A frame 32 interconnects the fork member 28 at one end withthe rear wheel 24 at the other end. The frame 32 comprises severaltubular members such as a seat supporting member extending between theseat and the sprocket housing 36; a lower crossbar member extending fromthe fork member 28 to the sprocket member and a main crossbar-member 40extending from the fork member 28 to the rear wheel axle. Of particularinterest, in the present specification is the main crossbar member 40which according to the particular construction of the bicycle 20 may beeither a single or dual tubular member.

Mounted on the main crossbar 40 and interposed in the space between theforward edge of the seat 22 and the handlebars 26 is a canteen 42according to the present invention. The canteen is secured to the maincrossbars 40 by a pair of clamping means 44 which are deformed aroundthe tubular crossbar. The canteen 42 in the preferred embodiment takesthe speed-form shape of fuel tanks such as may be found on motorcyclesor similar vehicles. The purpose of the canteen in the preferredembodiment is to carry a predetermined volume of liquid such as waterwhich may be used at the convenience of the cyclist. It is to beunderstood that while a bicycle is illustrated, the canteen 42 may alsobe used on tricycles without departing from the spirit of the inventioncontained herein.

The canteen 42 as illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 comprises a hollowenclosed body member 46 having a general aerodynamic speed-form. shape.As will become obvious, the body member may be constructed of aninsulating material. Positioned along the upper surface of the bodymember 46 as illustrated in FIG. 1, is an inlet means 48 for receivingthe liquid to be contained therein. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the inletmeans comprises a short tubular member 50 extending outwardly from saidbody member 46 in the form of a neck. An annular member 52 is secured tothe outward rim of the tubular member 50 and, as will hereinafter beshown, provides a secure clamp for a cap member.

Positioned on a side surface or on the bottom surface and substantiallyopposite the inlet means 48 is an outlet 54 for discharging the liquidfrom within the hollow body member 46. The outlet is covered or enclosedby a cap 56 which when positioned as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4provide a liquid tight seal preventing the discharge of liquid fromwithin the body member. The outlet cap 56 is a detachable cap which maybe secured to the body member by such means as a living or flexiblehinge. Referring to FIG. 1, the outlet 54 is positioned on the lowerside or bottom of the canteen 42 nearest the seat 22.

Positioned along the bottom surface of the body member 46 andsymmetrical about the vertical longitudinal axis of the canteen 42 areclamping means 44 which cooperate with the main crossbar 40 to hold thecanteen 42 in a predetermined fixed position. The clamping means 44 arespaced from the bottom surface of the body member by short extensions 58and are cantileverly mounted thereto. The calmping means extends in aplane substantially parallel to the bottom surface of the body member46.

Referring to FIG. 8, there is illustrated in the sectional view takenthrough the inlet means 48 the prea flexible deformable membercantileverly mounted to the bottom surface of 'said body member, saidmember spaced away therefrom and extending substantially parallelthereto; and

securing means detachably engageable with said flexible member forsecuring said member to the crossbar of a cycle; -t

wherein said member deforms about the crossbar when secured thereto bysaid securing means.

2. The canteen according to claim 1 wherein said deformable member is aflexible, deformable Y-shaped member cantileverly mounted at the bodyend of said Y with the two arms thereof disposed from said body memberand extending substantially parallel thereto.

3. A canteen for mounting on the crossbar of a bicycle, said canteencomprising:

an elongated hollow enclosed rigid member capable of containing a volumeof liquid,

an inlet positioned on one surface of said member for receiving a volumeof liquid into said member,

a tubular member extending outwardly from said inlet and secured theretoin a liquid-proof seal,

an annular member secured to the rim of the outward end of said tubularmember,

a cap member having a rim congruent to said annular member, said capmember detachably engageable ber for deforming said finger around acrossbar of a bicycle and operable to secure said finger thereto therebyholding said hollow rigid member in a predetermined position on thecrossbar.

4. The canteen according to claim 3 wherein said cap member is a tubularmember enclosed at one end thereof, said enclosed end having a rimcongruent to said annular member and the open end of said cap ex tendinginto said rigid member when said cap is engaged with said annularmember.

5. The canteen according to claim 3 wherein said clamping member hasthree spaced apart fingers extending awayin the direction of length ofsaid member from one end thereof.

1. A canteen for mounting on the crossbar of a cycle comprising: ahollow enclosed body member adapted to contain a volume of liquid; inletmeans in one surface of said body member for receiving liquid to becontained therein; cap means removably insertable into said inlet means,said cap means cooperable with said inlet means for closing said inletretaining the liquid therein; outlet means in said body member forcontrollably removing an amount of liquid therefrom; a flexibledeformable member cantileverly mounted to the bottom surface of saidbody member, said member spaced away therefrom and extendingsubstantially parallel thereto; and securing means detachably engageablewith said flexible member for securing said member to the crossbar of acycle; wherein said member deforms about the crossbar when securedthereto by said securing means.
 2. The canteen according to claim 1wherein said deformable member is a flexible, deformable Y-shaped membercantileverly mounted at the body end of said Y with the two arms thereofdisposed from said body member and extending substantially parallelthereto.
 3. A canteen for mounting on the crossbar of a bicycle, saidcanteen comprising: an elongated hollow enclosed rigid member capable ofcontaining a volume of liquid, an inlet positioned on one surface ofsaid member for receiving a volume of liquid into said member, a tubularmember extending outwardly from said inlet and secured thereto in aliquid-proof seal, an annular member secured to the rim of the outwardend of said tubular member, a cap member having a rim congruent to saidannular member, said cap member detachably engageable with said annularmembeR, an outlet positioned on a surface substantially opposite to thesurface containing said inlet, said outlet for regulating the dischargeof liquid from said hollow member; a flexible, deformable clampingmember cantileverly mounted on the bottom surface of said hollow rigidmember and disposed therefrom, said clamping member having at least onefinger extending from one end thereof, and securing means cooperatingwith said clamping member for deforming said finger around a crossbar ofa bicycle and operable to secure said finger thereto thereby holdingsaid hollow rigid member in a predetermined position on the crossbar. 4.The canteen according to claim 3 wherein said cap member is a tubularmember enclosed at one end thereof, said enclosed end having a rimcongruent to said annular member and the open end of said cap extendinginto said rigid member when said cap is engaged with said annularmember.
 5. The canteen according to claim 3 wherein said clamping memberhas three spaced apart fingers extending away in the direction of lengthof said member from one end thereof.